Prevent starvation deaths, says SC

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 3. The Supreme Court today directed 16 States which had not identified the people living below the poverty line (BPL), to do so within two weeks to enable the Governments to distribute food to them under the public distribution system (PDS).

A Bench comprising Mr. Justice B. N. Kirpal and Mr. Justice Ashok Bhan gave this direction during a resumed hearing on a PIL filed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) alleging that starvation deaths were taking place in many States despite godowns of the Food Corporation of India overflowing with foodgrains.

In response to the notice, the Attorney-General, Mr. Soli Sorabjee, appearing for the Union Government, informed the Bench that the Centre passed orders on August 31 asking the States to identify the people living below the poverty line so that they could be provided food under the ``Antyodaya scheme''.

Mr. Sorabjee said that the Centre had issued necessary orders for speedy supply of foodgrains from the FCI godowns to the PDS being operated by the States. He, however, said this was not successful as many States were yet to identify the BPL families.

Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Manipur, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territories of Delhi, Pondicherry, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep had not yet identified the BPL families. The Bench then asked the States to complete the exercise within two weeks.

The Bench expressed anguish over the manner in which the State Governments had handled the starvation deaths and wondered why only 25 kg. of foodgrains a month were provided to BPL families despite a provision to supply 73 kg. of foodgrains under a Government regulation.

The Bench noted that the primary task of the Governments was to prevent any more starvation deaths in the country. At the same time it suggested that the Governments move in such a way that these people were made competent to take up work. The Bench asked the petitioner to suggest ways and means to overcome the problem.

The Bench, which also issued notices to Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan, identified by the

petitioner as drought-prone, asked them to respond within a week what steps were taken in their States to alleviate the condition of the BPL families.

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